And even more ... 4/11/2013

Abilene’s Big Day Downtown, sponsored by the Abilene Downtown Association, will offer a variety of activities and entertainment all day Saturday.

The event will showcase 17 locally owned stores, museum and gallery exhibits, and dining at local restaurants.

Participants will a chance to register for a drawing for a giant gift basket — filled with merchandise from downtown shops — valued at more than $200. Registration will be available at all of the local shops Saturday, and shoppers can register at each store.

Eternal Threads, 101 Walnut St., and usually only open once a month, will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The store, which sells goods made by women in impoverished countries, has planned a table decorating demonstration at 2 p.m.

Five downtown restaurants will be open Saturday for lunch — AbiHaus, Bogie’s, Cypress Street Station, The Loft and McKay’s Bakery.

Among other events, the Abilene Public Library will host family fun time at 2 p.m., and living history demonstrations will take place at the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum throughout the day.

In conjunction with the Big Day Downtown, museums and art galleries, including the Center for Contemporary Arts and The Grace Museum, will offer the chance to view unique exhibits. Enjoy face painting and belly dancing at Cockerell Galleries, as well as exhibits by local artists. The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature will host its free weekly family fun art activities from 1-4 p.m. The Young Masters Juried Art Exhibition also will be on display there.

Female veterans to have own event

Also during the Big Day Downtown, the Military Partnership of West Central Texas will host a Female Veterans Networking Benefit Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Roberts Building, 202 Cypress St. (corner of Cypress and 2nd). Free admission.

The fair is designed to give female veterans an opportunity to see what local benefits are available to them. Fifteen agencies will be on hand to offer their services.

The Women’s Air Service Pilots will have a display, and door prizes will be given away every 30 minutes. A children’s activity area will be available.

Let’s Rock

The 2013 Central Texas Gem and Mineral Show will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Abilene Civic Center.

The show will feature displays of rock specimens and minerals, lapidary and wire wrapping skills and jewelry making, said Linda Walker, president of the Central Texas Gem and Mineral Society. Silver-smithing, beading, rock painting, gem-tree creating and other artistic techniques will be demonstrated, and there will be items for sale.

Admission to the show is $3 for adults and $1.50 for students, but Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in uniform will receive free admission.

Spring Plant Sale

The Big Country Master Gardener Association’s spring plant sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Modern Living Mall at the Taylor County Expo Center.

Relax and enjoy some live entertainment and family activities at the Winery at Willow Creek, 4353 S. Treadaway, from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.

Admission is free, but food booths and children’s activities will be available for a charge. Proceeds go to benefit the American Cancer Society, with a focus on children’s cancers.

Beastro Food Truck will sell food from noon to 4 p.m., and Vagabond Pizza will do so from 5-10 p.m.

Titanic Returns

The “Titanic Remembered Centennial Exhibition” will be open to the public for viewing throughout the weekend at the Discovery Center, corner of North 8th and Butternut.

The exhibit, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, includes memorabilia of the late Jack Grimm, the Abilene oil tycoon who financed and participated in three expeditions to find the Titanic.

The exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Friday, and from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

In addition, “Search for the Titanic” will be shown at the Paramount Theatre at 2 p.m. Sunday. At 7 p.m., there will be Titanic re-enactments and a showing of “Return to the Titanic,” the 1983 film produced by Grimm. Admission to the Paramount showings is free.

For more information, call Carolyn Walden at 673-5050 or visit evidences.org.

String Quartet coming to Abilene

The Permian Basin String Quartet will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St., as part of the Heavenly Rest Chamber Music Concert Series. Admission is free.

The ensemble is the resident string quartet of the Midland/Odessa Symphony and Chorale. It will be performing works by Shostakovich and Beethoven. A reception will follow.

See some theater, hear some music

The Abilene Christian University Theatre Department will present a musical adaptation of “Footloose” from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Fulks Theatre on campus. Admission is $15 per person. Contact the ACU box office at 674-2787.

ACU also will present a percussion ensemble concert from 7:30-9 p.m. Monday at Cullen Auditorium. For more information, contact Allen Teel at teela.acu.edu or call 674-2030.

McMurry University Theatre will present “All My Sons” at the Ryan Little Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students. For ticket information, call 793-3889.

McMurry also will host a free Jazz Jam in the Bynum Band Hall. Anyone interested in jazz is invited to come and play or just listen. For more information, call Kelli Porter at 793-3837.

The lighthearted, comic opera is being sung in English, rather than its customary Italian. The title literally translates to “Thus do they all,” but the more common translation is “Women are like that.” The opera is filled with zany characters and hilarious twists.

Tickets are $8 for general admission, $5 for military, seniors and students. Admission is $3 for HSU faculty, students and staff.